


I Shouldn’t Have to Take Math

by Em_313



Category: Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Art School, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-18
Updated: 2021-03-18
Packaged: 2021-03-27 16:40:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30125760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Em_313/pseuds/Em_313
Summary: Modern AU - Jack is getting his butt kicked by a tough professor while Kat is getting hers kicked by a cold. They always know how to make each other feel better.
Relationships: Jack Kelly & Katherine Plumber Pulitzer
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	I Shouldn’t Have to Take Math

Jack slammed the front door behind him, dropped his keys on the table, and threw his backpack into an armchair. “I’m dropping out,” he announced to Katherine, who was laying on the couch rewatching Gilmore Girls. 

“Why?”

“Well, first of all I have math homework like I’m 12. When am I ever going to use math?” He stomped across their small apartment into the kitchen and opened the fridge. “And I gotta go back to the studio here soon because I’m still not done with this damn still life.” He grabbed a box of leftover lo mein, sniffed it, then threw it in the microwave. “Wait, it’s Tuesday. Don’t you have class right now?”

Kat sat up and turned the volume down on the TV. “I didn’t go. I thought I could tough it out today, but I came home right after my first class. I think I have a sinus infection. I feel awful. My throat hurts and my ears hurt and I have a killer sinus headache.” She closed her eyes and rubbed her cheekbones. 

Jack noticed now she was wearing one of his hoodies, and her hair was piled on top of her head. She looked exhausted just sitting on the couch. “I’m sorry,” he said. “Need something to drink?” He was already reaching for a glass. 

Kat nodded. “Please.” She rubbed her eyes again. “My...my face feels full of wet concrete.” 

“We don’t have any clean forks.” He turned to the sink and shoved around a couple plates and bowls. They clanked arrhythmically, and Kat winced. He filled the cup with water and handed it to her. 

“Have you eaten?” Jack asked. He washed himself a fork. “I can make you a grilled cheese.” She always wanted grilled cheese when she had a cold. 

“In a little bit,” she said. “So do you have a lot of work to do or are you just pissed you have to take math at all?”

The microwave beeped, and Jack jerked the door open. “It’s not that I have a lot.” He took a bite of noodles and sat down in the chair across from her. “This 3D drawing class is so aggravating, Kitten. Nothing I do is good enough. The professor thinks I’m an idiot. And, yeah, I am an idiot.” 

“What makes you think that?” 

Jack shoveled more noodles into his mouth. “I don’t ever get praise. It’s all criticism. My lighting isn’t natural; the shading isn’t balanced. No matter what I do, something is wrong.” 

Kat shook her head. “Journalism is the same way. Feedback is the hardest part.” 

He rolled his eyes, but she was too sick to be mad at. And, what’s more, she was right. He hated it when she was right. “I know feedback is his job. And I don’t...I’m not blaming him. Not really. Although he’s kind of an ass to all of us.” He put his take out bowl on the coffee table, kicked off his shoes, and leaned back in his chair. “But...this is the, like, basic drawing class. The 101 of the program. If I’m struggling now, how can I make it through the rest of the program?”

“You have a lot of natural talent. I’ve never met anyone with an eye like yours. And your art is really...honest.” 

Jack sighed. “Yeah, but maybe natural talent isn’t enough anymore.”

Kat cradled her water glass between her hands. “I don’t know…But raw talent isn’t nothing.”

“I just...shit, I’m a foster kid. Foster kids don’t go to college.”

“You did.”

“I’m only one semester in,” he said. “Barely.”

“I think you’re being too hard on yourself.” She coughed into her sleeve and took a long drink of water. 

“You okay?”

“No,” She said. “That hurt. But I’m fine.”

Jack stood up and took his takeout container to the kitchen. “Want more water?”

“Can you actually put some water on for tea? Please?” Kat said. She slumped over and laid with her head on the arm of the couch. “My throat hurts so bad.”

“You look miserable.” 

“I am miserable.” 

Jack filled the electric tea kettle and turned it on. “Do you want some drugs?”

“I don’t have any.”

“I can go get some,” Jack said. He rummaged through drawers and cabinets. “I feel like we had some DayQuil. Motrin at the very least.” He found a bottle of painkillers, poured a few into his hand, and delivered them to Kat. 

“Thanks.” She swallowed them with the end of her water. 

He returned to the kitchen and fixed her tea. “Here, kitten.” 

She sat up and took it between her hands. “Thank you. Sorry for being so needy.”

“You’re sick. You’re allowed to be needy.”

Kat took a long drink of her tea. “This is exactly what I wanted.”

“Sorry for complaining so much when ya don’t feel good.”

“You can complain,” Kat said. She coughed again. “You’ll find people who appreciate your art, babe. Someone who can mentor you.” 

“Hopefully,” he said. “Need me to get more drugs or anything before I go to studio?”

“I’ll let you know on your way back,” she said. “You could work on your homework here. I’m not very good company right now, but you could stay.”

He reached for her hand. “Of course I’ll stay.”

**Author's Note:**

> I miss college and I project all my issues onto Jack Kelly lol. Thanks for reading 💛


End file.
